Corn picker



May 2, 1933. A. c. LINDGREN El AL CORN PICKER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 14, 1930 Imam/Z0715- flzezzas ya 1933 A. c. LINDGREN ET AL 1,906,692

CORN PICKER Filed March 14,' 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiZzzus 672m? 712 (lama 1? tinuousand effective operation.

Patented May 2, 1933.

I i UNITED sT -TES;'

PATEN foFFice-I ALEX-US c. LINDGREN, OF CHICAGO, AND ctnivmea. RArIEY, or nIvERsI E, ILLINOIS.

ASSIGNORS TO' INTERNATIONAL HAavnsrna coMrANY, a conrona'rron NEW.

JERSEY Application filed March i4,

- improve the functioning of a corn'picker by providing means adaptedto cooperate with the snapping means and the ear conveying and deliveringmeans to assure'their'con H A more specific object is to provide and position a novel beating and forwarding meansin such a position relative to the snapping rolls and the ear conveyor of the picker that; broken stalks; Weeds and other trash will not accumulate and check the effective operation of themechanism.

- Another object is -to construct cleaning beater element.

'Otherfobjects will be apparent ifrom the a novel, selfdetailed description to follow. i

The objects of the invention are accom-.. plished bymounting a rotating beater trans-- versely' over the snapping rolls near the upper endthereoffl The beater element also ex- 7 tends transversely over. the ear conveyor and is positioned in the throat of the conveyor shaft. Resilient members mounted on the beater are adapted to pressdownwardlyt 1 Ward the snapping rolls and the conveyor.

A series of radially "extending spikes rigidly attached to" thefbeater constitute positive means for moving Imaterial in'the vicinity of the beater. Stalks Weeds and other trash,

which have not been {engaged bythe snappingrolls by the time such material has reached the'upper end of the snapping rolls, are engaged by the beater member and-j pressed against the snapping rolls, which ;tendtoengage thematerial and force it betweenthe rolls out ofthe picker mechanism.

As the earconveyor extendsdownwardly along the side of the snapping rolls, some broken stalks and trash fall. with the ears over into the conveyor. The'conveyor'fiights engage thisvmaterial and carry it upwardly into the enclosure surrounding the upper portion of the conveyor. The heater element positioned in the throat leading to the enclosure engages any material carried on the,

conveyor and presses it down firmly against.

, against adjacent members of a series of are positioned a suflicient distance 'from'th'e end of the conveyor to allow the ears to drop,

' invention com:v PIGKER the conveyor flights. The spikesjon the beater also positively engage and move the material being carried upwardly. over the I conveyor. 7 v I The self-cleaning of the heater is accompli'shed by arranging the spikes and resilient 'flaps as will be'hereinafter described in detail, so that the'free end of each flap lies,

spikes when in pressed down position. When pressure on the flaps is released, they spring back to their-rigid position tending thereby to strip the spikes of anymaterial which has accumulated thereon.

Trash rollers are also provided at the sure having a comparatively small crosssection. Thejstalks and trash pressed firmly against the conveyor flights are delivered in;

of theen'closure over the conveyorbeyo nd the direction of the trash rollers; The rollers i freely and close enoughto engage and' re-- move'the major portion ofthe trash.

'Inthefdrawings: I

Figure 1 is'a' side elevation showing acorn B pickeriunit embodyingthe elements of the A complete'corn picker in which the unit illustrated and described herein is a part is shown in the copending United States Patgust 19,1930.

The snapping mechanism of the" unit illus f tra'ted is of a well known conventional con- 1 "and associated cooperating ele-,

the mechanism constituting. the invention.

'entapplication, Serial No.476,256 filed Aushaft 35.

V and 2 are mounted for rotation on the frame structure in the usual manner. The rolls are connected together by gears 3 for rotation toward each other. The shaft 4 on which the lower roll 1 is mounted extends beyond the bearing bracket 5 and is joined by a universal joint to a shaft 6. The shaft 6 is connected by a second universal joint to a shaft 7 which carries a chain sprocket 8. A chain 9 connects the sprocket 8 with a sprocket 10 on a driving shaft 11.

Thebeater member consists of a cylindrical drum-like element 12, resilient flaps 13 and rigid spikes 14, all of which are secured to the drum-like element. A shaft 15 supported for rotation on the brackets 16 and 17,. which are mounted on the frame structure, carries the beater member. A gear 18 mounted on the shaft 15 is operatively engaged by a worm 19 mounted on a shaft 20. The shaft 20 extends at one end to a gear casing 21 whereby power is transmitted to a chain 22 which constitutes a part of the stalk gathering means, not shown in detail. The other end of the shaft 20 is connected .by a universal joint to a shaft 23.

The shaft 23 is connected by a second universal joint to a short shaft 24 which carries means for driving the gear 25 mounted on the transverse shaft 26,. as best shown in .F igure 3. The shaft 26 carries a chain sprocket 27 which is connected by a chain 28 to a sprocket 29 mounted on a second transverse shaft 30. The shaft 30 carries a trash roller'31. A second trash roller 32 is mounted above the trash roller 31 and is resiliently pressed toward said member by a spring 33.

A chain sprocket 34 is mounted on the snapping roll shaft 4. A short shaft 35 roon the shaft 26, as best shown in Figure 3.

A driving chain operatively connects the sprocket 34 with a gear 41 mounted on the The shaft 26 also serves as a support and drive for the endless conveyor 42.

lower roll 1 as shown in Figure 2. A plat- The con-. veyor- 42 is made up of a link chain 43 and form or guide 48 is mounted on an angle bar 49 and by other means not shown in detail. The platform 48 has a vertical extension 50 which terminates adjacent the edge of the snapping roll 1. The flights 44 of the con veyor extend from said extension to the ad jacent side wall of a housing or hood 51 surrounding and forming an enclosure for the conveyor, the snapping rolls and the beater member.

The bracket structure 5 which supports the upper ends of the snapping rolls is secured to angle bars 52, 53 and 54. These bars constitute a portion of the frame structure previously referred to. The housing 51 is secured to and supported by these angle bars and also by other longitudinally extending angle bars, such as illustrated by the angle bar 55. An L-shaped angle bar 56 is secured to the bar 53 and the bar and constitutes a portion of the bracing means previously referred to. A U-shaped angle bar 57 extends over the top of the enclosure 51 and, in addition to its bracing function, forms a support for said enclosure.

A hearing bracket 63 is secured to the angle bars 52 and 5.3, A hearing cap 64 cooperates with the bearing bracket to pivotally mount the main frame structure on a supporting shaft 65. The shaft 65 is rigidly secured to a tractor frame or any other suitable support in any approved. manner.

The beater member extends to the opposite side walls of the hood or enclosure 51. The resilient flaps '13 are co-extensive lengthwise of the cylindrical portion of the beater member and extend outwardly therefrom. The flaps are secured to the drum-like body portion at a tangent thereto by small bars 58. Each of the bars 581also carries rigidly sccured thereto a pair of the spikes 14, one of said spikes being substantially over the center of the conveyor,the other being over the meeting point of the snapping rolls. The length of the flaps is such that the path followed by the outside free edges of the flaps reaches on rotation of the beater member substantially to the top of the hood or enclosure and downwardly to a point adjacent the upper edge of the lower snapping roll. One corner of each of the flaps is cut off at an angle, so it will clear the angular corner of the housing and the upper snapping roll.

The enclosure 59 around the upper portion of the conveyor is constricted in cross section as is shown in Figure 3. It will be noted that the side walls of the enclosure 59 anism. A'ngopening 62 is provided in shaft 4;, the chain 40, the sprocket i1 and shafts 35, 3.6 and 37,.and. gear39, power is transmitted to thefshaft 26." The shaft 26 drives the conveyor through the sprocket and the trash rollersby means of the sprocket 27 and thech ain 28. I I p The shaft 26 also transmitspower through the gear 25, theshafts 24, 23-and 20, to the gear casing 21, by means of which the gath ering chain 22, is driven. The shaft 20 .car-' ries the worm 19 which drives theshaft on which the beater element ismounted.

The corn stalks gathered by the gather ng chain 22 and other mechanism not shown are directed between the snapping rolls 1 and 2.

Corn snappedfrom the stalks by said rolls drops over onto .the conveyor 12 running alongside the rollsland is carried up the plat-g form 48 anddelivered into the chute 61;

1 thatthe stalk breaks anda portion of it, which may be still carrying an ear, is car- 1 throat of the. picking, mechanism. .Hereto- .fore considerable difliculty has been experi- 4 enced with the clogging up of the mechanism, I i .0.

* rolls and over the conveyor. I

siderable of the trash: may be carried up ried upwardly. There is-also some times other trash, such as weeds, picked up by the stalk gathering means, and carried into the due to the accumulation of trash above the Also conwardly into the enclosure above the conveyor. In this device, material above the snapping rolls is pushed downwardly thereagainst by-the resilient flaps 13 on the beater member. .A. major portion ofthe stalks and trash is caught by the snapping rolls and rolledv through out of I the mechanism. The spikes 14 onthe beater member will engage thematerial which is pressed firmly against the conveyor whereby it may be carried through the conveyor enclosure without choking said enclosure. The stalks and trash at the upperend of the conveyor are delivered over the end directly toward the'trash rollers where said materialis engaged by said rollers and removed from the ear conveyor, and means limit their invention only by thescopeof the appended claims. I I

I Whatisclaimedasnew is: I 1.. Ina corn picker, the comblnation of ear snapping means, conveying means positioned 3 alongside the snappingmeans, and means comprislng a single element extendlng over the snapping means and the conveylng means I acting to press materialagainst said elements and assist in the functioning thereof.

2. In a corn picker, .the combination of snapping rolls,.an ear conveyorpositionedfl" alongside said rolls, means for assisting the, functioning of the snapping rolls comprising a rotatable member mounted above said rolls and extending over the snapping rolls and member. I

' 3. In a corn picker, the combination .of snapping rolls, an ear. conveyor positioned alongside said rolls toreceive ears therefrom,

her mounted above said rolls, said rotatable member being provided with aseries of 'flexi-j bleflaps extending therefrom, a'ndmean's for rotating said member;

4.. In acorn picker, the combination: of snapping rolls, anlear conveyor positioned The stalks are normally rolledbetween the snapping rolls. Itoften happens, however,

alongside said rolls. to receive ears therefrom,

means for assisting the functioning; of the. snapping rolls comprising a rotatable mem-' ber transversely mounted above said-rolls,

said rotatable member being provided with a therefrom, enclosing means around the upper.

for rotating said portion of the ear conveyor extending-down f vwardly to the snapping rolls, and means posi-x tioned at theentrance to said enclosing means adapted to assist in the functioning of the conveyor by pressing resiliently downwardly picker, the combination of alongsidesaid rolls and extendingupwardly .I

therefrom, enclosing-means around the upper portion of'the ear conveyor extending downwardlyto the snapping rolls,fland means consisting of a rotatable member mounted on an axis transversely of the conveyor positioned at the entrance to said enclosing means adapted to assist in the functioning of the;con-.

veyor by pressing resiliently downwardly thereagainst.

tion of the ear conveyor extending downwardly'to the snapping rolls,'and means positioned at the entrance to said enclosing means adapted to assistiii the functioning of the snapping rolls and the conveyor by pressing resiliently downwardlythereagainst.

8. In a corn picker, the combination of snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned alongside said rolls and extending upwardly therefrom, enclosing means around the upper portion of the ear conveyor extending downwardly to the snapping rolls, and means consisting of a rotatable member mounted on an axis transversely of the conveyor and the snapping rolls and extending over said elements positioned at the entrance to said enclosing means and. adapted to assist in the functioning of the conveyor and the snapping rolls by pressing resiliently downwardly thereagainst.

9. In acorn picker, the combination of snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned alongside said rolls and extending upward ly tliiereirom enclosing means around the upper portion of the ear conveyor extending downwardly to the snapping rolls, trash rolls positioned beyond the upper end of the convyor, and means positioned at the entrance to said enclosing means adapted to assist in the functioning of the conveyor by pressing resiliently downwardly thereagainst.

10. In a corn picker, the combination oi snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned. alongside said rolls and extending upwardly therefrom, enclosing means around the up per portion of the ear conveyor extending downwardly to the snapping rolls, trash rollpositioned at the upperend oil the enclosing means for the conveyor and spaced from said conveyor to provide for discharging ears from the conveyor, and means positioned at the entrance to said enclosing means adapted to assist in the functioning of the conveyor by pressing resiliently downwardly there-against.

lLIn a corn picker, the combination of snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned adjacent the rolls, a heater element comprising a body member having flexible flaps and rigid spikes extending therefrom, means for mounting said member for rotation on an axis transversely of the rolls and the conveyor and spaced therefrom, and means aeapted to rotate the beater element during-operation of the cornpicker.

12. In a corn picker, the combination of" upwardly extending snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned adjacent the rolls, a heater element comprising a body member, flexible flaps extending substantially tangentially from said member, means for mounting said member for rotation on an axis transversely to the conveyor and spaced thereabov-e, and means adapted to rotate the beater eiement during operation of the picker.

13. Ina corn picker, the combination of upwardly extending snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned ad acent the rolls,- a beater element comprising a body member, means for mounting said member for rotation on an axis transversely of the-conveyor, means adapted to rotate said member during operation of the picker mechanism, and rigid spikes extending from said body member.

14. In a corn picker, the combination of upwardly extending snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned adjac-ent'the rolls, a beater element comprising a body member, means for mounting said element for rotation on an axis transversely of the conveyor, means adapted to rotate said member duriiig operation of the picker mechanism, and two series of spikes extending from said body member, one series being positioned to pass over and adjacent the snapping rolls, and the other series being positioned to operate in the path of material being carried by the conveyor.

15. In a corn picker, the combination of upwardly extending snapping rolls, an ear conveyor positioned adjacent the rolls, a beater element comprising a body member, flexible flaps attached to said member and extending substantially tangentially therefrom, spikes attached to the body member and extending substantially rigidly therefrom, means for mounting said member for rotation on an axis at right angles to the conveyor and spaced thereabove, and means adapted to rotate the beater element during operation of the corn picker.

In testimony whereof We aiiix our signatures.

' ALEXUS C. LIN DGREN.

CLEMMA R. RANEY. 

